Francis Duggan

The Last Rose Of The Fall

Her pink petals strewn upon the grass beside her mother treeIn full bloom a thing of Nature so beautiful to seeWhere the gleaners of Nature's decay grubs, slugs and insects crawlLast week she looked so beautiful the last rose of the Fall.

So bare and thorny looking without her leaves and flowersThe rose tree looks forlorn in the cool Autumn showersNext Summer again pink roses she will wearThe rose tree in bloom has a beauty that's rare.

The beauty of Nature is seen WorldwideIn town parks and gardens and in the countrysideAnd Nature herself she lives on every shoreThe one destined to live forever more.

For the gleaners of Nature who live on decayThe beautiful rose petals on the grass layBut the rose whose life span can be measured in hoursHer fate it is not any different to ours.